Need for Speed Undercover Review

I like it when reviews are easy to write. When I can confidently state,

Graphics are easily the biggest problem to plague NFS:UC, but let The sound is fine, but nothing to write home about. There

For the most part, NFS: UC controls pretty well. As with all racing games, the early races are punctuated by slower cars that handle like you

You would think that taking the solid street racing of Need for Speed titles past and adding the police chases from Most Wanted would be a drool-worthy combination. Unfortunately, the gameplay is where things really start to unravel for NFS: UC. As the titular undercover officer, you are tasked with a variety of racing jobs to build your street cred. Basic sprint and lap circuit tracks are available, as is an outrun mode (you have to stay ahead of your opponent for a full minute), a highway battle (get a lead of 1,000 feet, racing through a crowded highway), and checkpoint races. You can also choose specific jobs or police events; such as escaping pursuit, causing a set amount of damage, or disabling a certain number of cop cars.

The crux of the problem is that these events are all either ridiculously easy (I once won a Highway Battle event in about 20 seconds when my opponent got stuck behind traffic), or reach a level of controller-throwing difficulty rarely seen in racing games. Somewhere around the latter third of the game, things start to switch from one to the other, and it simply becomes incredibly un-fun. Your opponents will suddenly change from leisurely Sunday drivers to complete street racing maniacs (sometimes during the course of a single race), leaving you wondering exactly what performing-enhancing substances they might be on.

You receive XP for each race, which serves to upgrade your “Wheelman” level. If you beat a certain time limit, you will also The campaign is a decent length, and will probably take most gamers between 12-15 hours to complete. Once you

Ron Burke is the Editor in Chief for Gaming Trend. Currently living in Fort Worth, Texas, Ron is an old-school gamer who enjoys CRPGs, action/adventure, platformers, music games, and has recently gotten into tabletop gaming.
Ron is also a fourth degree black belt, with a Master's rank in Matsumura Seito Shōrin-ryū, Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do, Universal Tang Soo Do Alliance, and International Tang Soo Do Federation. He also holds ranks in several other styles in his search to be a well-rounded fighter.
Ron has been married to Gaming Trend Editor, Laura Burke, for 21 years. They have three dogs - Pazuzu (Irish Terrier), Atë, and Calliope (both Australian Kelpie/Pit Bull mixes).